Category Archives: The roster

Roster report: Defensive Help coming, but probably not via trade

October 15, 2020 cc 2 Comments

A third of the way through the season, the Seahawks have weathered a bunch of defensive injuries and some historically bad play on that side to open 5-0.

As they take their bye this week, reinforcements are coming for the league’s last-ranked defense, which has helped the 5-0 start through big stops and turnovers. Jamal Adams, Jordyn Brooks and Rasheem Green are all expected back from injuries shortly, and former All-Pro run stopper Damon Harrison should make his debut as well.

But what about that anemic pass rush?

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Contracts, The roster

Is this the last hurrah for Carson & Griffin?

October 7, 2020 cc Leave a comment

Chris Carson and Shaquill Griffin are doing what they can to make their cases for new contracts in 2021.

Both were big parts of the Seahawks’ win in Miami, Carson scoring twice and tallying 100 total yards and Griffin picking off a pass and preventing a late touchdown as they helped Seattle improve to 4-0.

But fans need to steel themselves to the idea that this season could be the last hurrah for the best draft picks from Seattle’s 2017 class. Even more reason – like we need more than one — for the Hawks to win another Super Bowl now.

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Contracts, Free agency, The roster

D-line drama over, contract focus turns to star-stacked secondary

September 8, 2020 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks’ defensive line soap opera, which had dragged on for a year and a half (from Frank Clark to Ziggy Ansah to Jadeveon Clowney), finally ended when Clowney signed with Tennessee the other day.

Short of another trade, the Seahawks are going with the pedestrian pass-rush crew they assembled without Clowney. And we move on with fingers crossed and eyes closed.

We can only hope there is not as much drama – or failure — around extensions for Seattle’s now star-studded secondary next offseason.

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The roster, Training camp

Britt or bust at center?

August 26, 2020 cc 1 Comment

Why do the Seahawks never seem to have a clue about what to do with their offensive line?

After the 2019 season ended, Pete Carroll said he wanted to keep his line together – “I don’t want to see a big change there.’’ But then, in a pandemic year, Carroll let John Schneider convince him to save money by parting with three starters and a key reserve.

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The roster, X's & O's

Carroll goes back to roots on defense

August 20, 2020 cc Leave a comment

Like it or not, Seattle seems to be standing pat with the pass rushers it has.

You can hold out all you want for the Seahawks to re-sign Jadeveon Clowney or trade for Yannick Ngakoue. But, if they were not interested in signing Everson Griffen for $6 million (what Dallas paid him), they are obviously content to go with what they have: Bruce Irvin, Benson Mayowa, Rasheem Green, L.J. Collier, Darrell Taylor and Alton Robinson.

Instead, Pete Carroll is going back to his roots and building his defense from the back. And he would rather pay All-Pro safety Jamal Adams than Ngakoue or Clowney or even the cheap Griffen — perhaps partly because he expects Adams to sack the quarterback.

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Free agency, The roster

Why is anyone surprised over Schneider’s conservative offseason?

May 25, 2020 cc 1 Comment

Pic -- Schneider at Combine For some reason, some fans and analysts (and even fanalysts) are befuddled about the way the Seahawks have approached this offseason.

After Carlos Hyde was signed to a deal reportedly worth up to $4 million, the complaining really kicked in: Why have they squandered their cap space and not added any stars?

Seattle has spent $52 million on 14 veterans this offseason. None of them are standouts. None of them are the marquee pass rusher they really need. And none of them are signed for more than two years.

But, it’s no surprise. If you have watched the Seahawks for the past five years, you know this is how John Schneider does business now. He is very conservative and gets aggressive (via trades) only out of desperation.

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Free agency, The roster

After a busy stretch, time for a roster Q&A

May 23, 2020 cc Leave a comment

Draft -- Schneider and Carroll The Seahawks have had a busy mid-May, and they’ve got a couple more things to do before training camp (hopefully) starts in July.

They left the draft needing a backup quarterback, a veteran running back, a run-stopping defensive tackle and — more than any of those — a top pass rusher.

In the past week or so — around Quinton Dunbar’s drama, Russell Wilson trade rumors and chatter about troubled receivers — they have brought back QB Geno Smith and added RB Carlos Hyde. That leaves the defensive line as the last area they need to address, unless Dunbar suddenly becomes unavailable due to incarceration or suspension.

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NFL draft, The roster

Cheap Hawks swapped Thomas & Clark for 3 pass rushers and a guard

May 13, 2020 cc 2 Comments

Once upon a time, the Seahawks had the NFL’s top-paid players (or close to it) at three defensive positions, along with the No. 2-paid quarterback.

In 2019, they made Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner the league’s top-paid QB and middle linebacker — but they have not been interested in paying anyone else in that stratosphere since 2017, when they gave Kam Chancellor another top-three deal.

They didn’t want to pay Earl Thomas and Frank Clark in 2019, and they don’t want to pay Jadeveon Clowney this year.

Basically, they don’t want to pay elite pass rushers. So they used Thomas and Clark to draft a few. And, like it or not, they are counting on those swaps to work out.

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The roster

Offensive line shakeup comes at a bad time

May 1, 2020 cc 3 Comments

After the 2019 season ended, Pete Carroll said he wanted to keep his offensive line together.

“It is important,’’ Carroll said. “I hope we can keep our guys connected. I don’t want to see a big change there.’’

Well, that plan obviously changed: The Seahawks will have three, perhaps four, new starters in 2020. Only three other teams in the NFL apparently will undergo that much change up front. It’s a tough year to do that, too — with a pandemic impacting preparation time.

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NFL draft, The roster

Redrawn lines: The state of Seattle’s roster

April 27, 2020 cc Leave a comment

“We’re trying to win the Super Bowl over here. We don’t play (around). We’re trying to make it happen this year.”– Russell Wilson to rookie OG Damien Lewis

Russell Wilson wanted “superstars” this offseason. He wanted Jadeveon Clowney to return. And he obviously wants to get back to the Super Bowl.

What he has gotten is one aging star (Greg Olsen) and no Clowney (to this point), but the Hawks have revamped both lines in an effort to help Wilson lead them back to the NFL title game.

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